


Don't Stand So Close To Me

by Gamemakers



Series: Don't Stand So Close To Me [1]
Category: Hunger Games Trilogy - Suzanne Collins
Genre: Alternate Universe - Former Teacher/Student, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-07-23
Updated: 2016-07-23
Packaged: 2018-07-26 06:43:23
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,660
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7564186
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Gamemakers/pseuds/Gamemakers
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>If you pressed Peeta Mellark, you might be able to get him to confess his teenage crush. And why shouldn't he? Ms. Everdeen, his ninth grade biology teacher, was young, kind, attractive, and most of all, unattainable. What high schooler wouldn't be interested? But now that he's twenty-five and back home for a while, Peeta might just have a shot at turning fantasy into reality.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Don't Stand So Close To Me

 

 

"What's yours, Peeta?"

He cracked open his fortune cookie and smoothed out the slip of paper inside. "Very soon, an old fantasy will be realized."

His older brother laughed. "So, got any fantasies you'd like to tell me about before they come true?"

"Think I'll have to pass on that one." Peeta eyed the Kung Pao chicken. He had already stuffed himself on the feast they'd ordered from the Chinese place down the street, but did he really want Rye to get the last of it? He scooped a couple more bites' worth onto his plate. "Anyway, they're all bullshit," he said around a bite of chicken. "As long as you keep it vague enough, people are bound to find things that fit it."

"You eat all of that, and I'm gonna kill you."

"There's plenty left for tomorrow morning." Peeta popped in another bite, smiling around it just to annoy his brother. "Good stuff. You never told me yours." He gestured towards Rye's cookie with his fork.

"Think I can top your fantasies coming true?" Rye asked as he fought with the wrapper. "All right, there it is. 'Happiness is an inside job.'" The man shrugged. "Whatever that means."

"Nope, you couldn't top it."

"Well, Peeta, I guess that since all of your wildest dreams are going to come true here soon, it's not too much to ask of you to clean up."

He snorted. "You act as though there was a chance it wasn't going to be me cleaning up anyway."

"Well, we've all got our purposes in life. Gotta put that law degree you spent a hundred and fifty grand on to good use, right?"

"Y'know, this isn't quite what I pictured."

"Welcome to life."

* * *

When she was sixteen, her green '92 Pontiac Sunbird had been her pride and joy. Katniss really wished she could say the same now, almost twenty years later. The perfect forest-green paint job had been ruined through years' worth of nicks and scratches, and these last few months, she'd noticed that the entire body had started leaning just a bit to the right. With the left rearview mirror held together only by silver duct tape, one couldn't be blamed for mistaking her car for one of her high school students'. Still, she and Ponty had been through a lot together, and she'd be sad to see him go. Hence, when Annie had suggested they go out to celebrate the beginning of spring break, Katniss had volunteered herself as designated driver. It just seemed right to give her old car one last hurrah before she finally traded him in.

"The radio doesn't work anymore, does it?" Johanna asked.

Without taking her eyes off the road, Katniss swatted her friend's hand away from the controls. "It does if you don't try to change stations."

"So what you're saying is that it doesn't really work," Annie chimed in from the back seat.

"Okay, it's not great anymore, but I like this station." She could bitch about Ponty all she wanted, but that didn't mean anyone else got to be mean to him. Katniss wondered, not for the first time, if she was starting to go a little insane. She hadn't even liked cats five years ago, and now she had two. She wouldn't let people say anything bad about her car, and she couldn't remember the last time she had stayed out past nine-thirty. Much as she hated to admit it, Katniss was falling into the dreaded crazy old cat lady mold, and she didn't even care enough to stop the cycle. All right, thinking about this too much was just going to give her grey hairs she wasn't ready for. Time to change the subject. "I want to turn at this next light, right?"

"Yeah," Johanna replied. "After that, it'll be the second driveway on your right."

Ponty didn't do gravel very well, but it managed the Flaming Arrow's parking lot with minimal bumps. With one last check that her lipstick hadn't wandered outside her lip line – which Johanna, of course, gave her shit for – they headed in, settling on a corner booth not too far from the entrance. Even with Annie's wedding ring on clear display, sitting at the bar always seemed to get them more male attention than any of them was looking for, and Katniss would really rather that Johanna didn't shout at anybody tonight.

It had been way too long since she had been here. They had allowed smoking in the main room the last time, and the legislature had passed that law in what, 2008? It still reeked of the stuff in here, thanks to the poor ventilation, but it made for a nice change. Katniss settled back in her seat, holding their spot as Johanna and Annie went up to order their drinks, hoping one of them would actually remember to grab a Diet Coke for her like they'd promised to.

* * *

 

 

A man deserved a drink or two after a sixteen-hour work day. He had spent fourteen of them on his feet, minding the ovens and taking care of customers, a smile plastered on the entire time. And he'd thought law school was hard. At least it was only for a few months or so until he found a law job. Peeta's back ached, and his feet practically sang with relief as he sat down at the bar. He gave the menu a quick scan, but he already had an order in mind. "Miller, please." Not the most high-class beer, but it was cheap and it got the job done.

The television above the bar showed a NASCAR race. He watched, almost hypnotized, through three laps, four, five, before deciding he'd seen enough. Peeta had never been much of one for racing. That had always been more Rye's area.

As it was only eight-thirty, and a Thursday night to boot, the place was still pretty empty. Two men sat a few stools down, both zoned out as they watched the races. The bartender leaned against the back wall, so still Peeta wondered if he was asleep, and the waitress chatted with a man who he would guess was her boyfriend at the other end of the bar. He spotted a couple in one of the booths, and near the front, three women sat, giggling among themselves. As they were all a few years older than him, probably mid-thirties, maybe pushing forty, he wouldn't usually have paid them much mind. But one of them looked familiar, and maybe, no, definitely…

His first day of ninth grade had been rough. The hallways might as well have been a labyrinth for as well as he'd managed to find his way around and he couldn't keep the numbers of his locker combination straight in his head. Coming in from eighth grade, where he'd already been one of the smaller kids, the juniors and seniors were absolute giants. Six periods spent going through seemingly-impossible course expectations hadn't helped matters any. But seventh period biology had changed all of that. Ms. Everdeen had smiled at him when he walked in, and the instant she started talking, he was entranced. Olive skin, dark hair that she kept back in a braid for lab days, a voice like music… he had fallen in love, or at least became infatuated, before class was dismissed the first day.

And here she was, live and in the flesh. He had to give himself some credit; for a fourteen-year-old, he'd had damn good taste.

Well, it would be rude to not go over and say hello. The tall, dark-haired woman next to Ms. Everdeen glared at him as he walked towards them, and he smiled in return, which seemed to at least somewhat appease her. "Ms. Everdeen?" he asked.

She smiled. "Hello." Though her voice was perfectly pleasant, he knew that she was half-panicking at not being able to place him. He shouldn't be hurt by that. Of course he hadn't been as important to her as she had been to him.

"I was in your class a few years ago."

Her face brightened with recognition. "Oh, Peeta, Peeta Mellark! It's nice to see you again. What have you been up to?"

"I just got done with law school in December, and I'm back home and working in my parents' bakery while I search for something more permanent." He dared a glance at the other two women. The tall one had relaxed back in her seat, and he was pleased to note that she no longer looked like she might want to kill him.

The remaining woman, the one with the big green eyes and nice smile, spoke next. "Do your parents run Mellark's Bakery?"

He nodded.

"I hadn't made that connection before," Katniss admitted. She patted the seat next to her, and he couldn't help but notice that she didn't wear a wedding ring. "Sit and chat with us for a minute? I'd love to catch up."

"Let me go back and pay first. I haven't been here before, and I don't want the bartender thinking I'm trying to stiff him."

* * *

"You're going home with him," Johanna said the second he was out of earshot.

"I don't think so. He was my student, for goodness' sake." Katniss wished she was as confident on that point as she sounded. Dear Lord, when had he become good-looking? The Peeta she remembered had been a good five, six inches shorter than most of his classmates. He'd gotten along by being well-liked, and he'd always had those clear blue eyes to lean back on, but if she had been asked which student she'd be ogling in a bar in ten years, he would not have been her first guess. Not that she would have answered that question. It didn't exactly live up to professional standards, and even if it was only her morals keeping her back, Katniss would never in a million years dream of making a pass at a student.

Her friends, though, weren't going to let her get off the hook that easily. "Why not? It's obvious he wants to. Anyways, you're thirty-five years old and divorced." Johanna put a hand up to stop Katniss before she could protest. "Not that either of those is a bad thing. They're just facts. How many more chances are you going to get to bang a cute twenty-something?"

"Especially one as good-looking as that," Annie added.

Katniss looked between the two of them, wondering when they had both gone completely insane. "He could be a serial killer for all you know!"

Johanna sighed and leaned back in the booth, making the seat squeak underneath her. "You think Peeta of the adorable puppy eyes - and newly-minted lawyer on top of that - is a serial killer."

"Ted Bundy was a law student. Just because he seems like a good guy doesn't mean he is one."

"If you look at it that way, any of us could be serial killers. I have my money on Johanna." Annie giggled at Johanna's glare.

"You're really not helping here." That didn't seem to buy her any sympathy. "Don't you have your own husband to worry about? Why don't we start talking about your sex life?"

"Maybe next time." Annie set down her drink. "Katniss, you're an adult, and you can do what you want. But, before you make your decision, I would like to point out that you haven't argued with Johanna saying that Peeta definitely wants to. Also, I would guess that someone with biceps like that is a lot more fun than your vibrator." Annie looked so innocent with those big green eyes and bubblegum-pink drink that she sipped through a straw. Katniss should have known it was all an act. "Johanna, I have a few quarters if you want to play the racing game. I think Katniss could use some time to herself."

"You're going down, Cresta."

"And one more thing." Glancing behind her first to check nobody was watching, she reached over and undid the top button on Katniss' blouse. "For good luck," she explained.

"Is luck what they're calling it these days?" Still, Katniss didn't bother to rebutton her top. Much as she didn't want to admit it, her friends did have a good idea every once in a while.

* * *

Before he went back to the booth, Peeta popped a breath mint. He'd already straightened his jacket, so that should be all right. An extra couple dollars for the bartender for some good karma, and it was time to head back.

Peeta grinned when he saw Ms. Everdeen, no, _Katniss_ sitting alone, her friends having left her for the two-player racing game across the bar. His pulse was going crazy, and he resisted the urge to wipe sweaty palms off on his pant leg. He hadn't been this nervous in years, probably since his first time picking up a girl in college. Still, no matter how anxious he felt, the risk versus reward payoff here was still very much in his favor. He couldn't help the hint of swagger that snuck into his step as he strode back towards the booth. 

* * *

"Hello again." She smiled, that same smile he remembered from so many years ago, and his heart skipped a beat or two. Though the seats across from her were empty, he sat down next to her in the booth. A bit close for casual conversation, but hopefully it would get his intent across without scaring her away. "I hope you don't mind that it's just the two of us. Johanna and Annie couldn't resist the call of the video games."

 

 

"No, not at all. It's nice to catch up one on one, you know?"

"Absolutely."

There it was, that dreaded pause that had shipwrecked so many young men's chances. Navigate this Bermuda Triangle, and it was generally smooth sailing the rest of the way into her pants. "So, what have you been up to? Still teaching?"

Katniss nodded. "Yep, I'm still at Panem High in the science department. I teach more anatomy and botany these days than intro bio, but otherwise, not too much has changed on that front."

"Anatomy." He wrinkled his nose. "Really interesting stuff, but I don't think I would've gotten through the anatomy unit in anybody else's class."

"Did the smell get to you?"

"The smell and the idea of it both."

"Oh, I remember that. Poor thing, you looked like you were going to pass out that first day." That was the way he wanted her to remember him: pale and shaky when his lab partner had first cut into the rat. Fantastic. "Don't worry, Peeta. I get at least one or two that need to be excused every semester, and a good quarter of the time, it's some big, sort of macho football player or wrestler that doesn't want to admit they're a little squeamish. It's not my favorite part of things either."

Good, perhaps he did still have a shot at this. "You're more into botany?"

She nodded. "My grandfather was a _hataalii_ , sort of a medicine man or folk healer, on the reservation. He's the one who got me into biology in the first place."

"That's really neat. I bet he's really proud of you."

"I like to think he would be." He could make out the beginnings of tears in her eyes. Obviously not wanting to get too emotional, Katniss quickly changed the subject. "So, what made you get into law?"

He wished he had a good story behind that, but the truth was less than exciting. Peeta shrugged. "My mom thought I should give it a try, so I majored in political science in undergrad, realized I didn't hate it, and ended up here."

"Inspiring," she laughed.

"Not hating it is most people's goal for their jobs, I think."

Her grin widened. "I'll drink to that." She tilted her can of Diet Coke towards him and took a sip. He took that split-second opportunity to look down at her chest, where an extra button had been undone since he'd been sitting here earlier. Peeta made sure his eyes were on her face when she set the can down again. "I'm really glad you came by and said hi," she said, and she laid her hand over his.

"Me too." He moved his palm up so his fingers could intertwine with hers. She didn't pull away, and the gesture emboldened him to lean in closer. She laid a hand on his cheek and guided him down to meet her lips, and he caressed the side of her neck with his thumb as they kissed. Peeta had fantasized about this what must have been hundreds of times over the years, but he had never imagined it quite like this. Real and tangible, their kiss sent little jolts of electricity through his entire body, and he could only bring himself to pull away when he needed to breathe.

Peeta studied her face, searching for any hint of a reaction. Her lips reflected the light in a way they had not earlier, and he wanted nothing more than to kiss her again. An instant later, his wish was granted when she pulled him down for another one just as satisfying as the last.

"I think we should continue this somewhere else," she whispered when they parted.

He nodded, doing his best to stop the blush climbing up his cheeks. Forget somersaults – his stomach was doing Olympic-level gymnastics right now, and it somehow felt fantastic. "I live just down the road."

"Sounds great. Let me go tell my friends where I'm headed, and I'll be right back." With that, she got up, leaving him dazed, alone, and more excited than he'd ever been.

* * *

"Gettin' frisky there, Everdeen."

She glared at Johanna, then turned her attention to Annie. "You guys can get home without me?"

"Yeah, don't worry about us. I've got cab money. Can you write down his name for me? I'm worried I won't remember later, and I want to know where you've gone." Three strawberry daiquiris in, Annie was still thinking straighter than Katniss did perfectly sober. She scribbled Peeta's name on a post-it note and passed it to her friend. "Great. Have a good time, all right?"

"Oh trust me, she's going to."

She shook her head, but she couldn't really argue with Johanna's assessment.

* * *

They managed to keep their hands mostly to themselves until they got inside. There had been a few kisses, a grab or two here or there in the shadows, but for the most part, they'd been good, perfectly appropriate. The fact that they had half-ran most of the way there probably contributed to their good behavior. Katniss wasn't sure she would have lasted much longer without touching him.

The instant the apartment door shut behind them, his mouth was on hers. Katniss sagged back against the wooden door, hardly even noticing the way the peephole dug into the back of her head. She wrapped her arms around his neck, tracing the lines of his shoulders as they kissed, admiring the muscle she found there. Peeta groaned against her mouth, and an instant later, he hoisted her up, her legs naturally wrapping themselves around his waist. From this new angle, she had much better access to the rest of his face, and she trailed kisses across his cheeks, around his forehead, down his nose. His hands squeezed her bottom, which she responded to by rubbing her chest against his, earning herself another moan. "Bed?" she whispered against his ear, her hands not bothering to stop their wanderings as she spoke.

"That… that seems like a good idea." Katniss took some pride in the fact that he seemed as affected as she did. It only took a few steps for them to reach his room. Katniss had never been more grateful for a tiny starter apartment. What must have been yesterday's clothes sat in a rumpled pile in the corner, but otherwise, the room was pristine. Even the bed had been carefully made. Pity they were going to make a mess of it.

She didn't have too long to dwell on that thought before he gently set her down on his mattress. Katniss rested there for a second or two, savoring the feeling of the soft duvet against her cheek, but she quickly got up again, wrapping her arms around Peeta from behind as he dug through his nightstand. She kissed his shoulder blade through his shirt, appreciating the ripple of muscle she received in response.

"Got it," he said, holding out a condom for her inspection. Katniss tossed it onto the bed and pulled him back towards her for another kiss. She untucked his shirt from his jeans then undid his button and fly. When he felt her undressing him, Peeta went to work on her blouse, unbuttoning her shirt with deft fingers that stopped every once in a while to caress her newly exposed flesh. Arms and fingers and clothing became tangled when they tried to remove each other's shirts, but with a moment's patience, they were both nude.

She could hardly take her eyes off of him. Peeta was far lighter than her, but unlike her defined farmer's tan, his soft tan remained even across his entire body. She stroked his chest, enjoying the tickle of fine golden hair beneath her fingertips. But what truly captured her attention were his eyes, which drank her up in a way Katniss had never before experienced. The warmth of his gaze penetrated deep beneath her skin, and she felt electric, as if she was glowing from the inside out.

Impatient, Katniss sat back down on the bed, letting her legs dangle off the side as she lay on her back, waiting for him for just an instant before he crawled up beside her, enveloping her in a passionate embrace. She gasped when her chest rubbed against his, and he pulled her closer, so their bodies were flush against each other's. His hands were everywhere, and she was on fire. She rolled him onto his back, kissing down his chest at a furious pace, needing this to come to a conclusion soon to stop the absolute burn that had developed inside her. He played with her hair as she mouthed at his nipples, pulling each one between her teeth and giving them a hard suck before she moved lower. "Katniss!" he hissed as she traced his abs with her tongue.

"Yes?" she replied as innocently as she could.

"Please never stop."

Smiling lips pressed a kiss to his navel, and she dutifully licked another stripe across his abdomen. "Condom?" she asked, and he groped around the bed for it for a moment before she found it sitting right next to her. "Never mind, I've got it." She put it on him, giving his length a few strokes while she was at it, never breaking eye contact as her hands coaxed a few fantastic moans out of him.

Peeta allowed her to play for a moment more, but then strong hands were on her waist, and he had her lying across his chest. "You're sure you want this?" he asked, his breath ragged.

"Absolutely."

"Good." He maneuvered them into position, her on her back, him above her, and he let his erection rest against the crease of her thigh for one torturous moment before he pressed inside. She sighed at the stretch, and he drew another out of her by slipping a hand in between them to toy with her clit. They set a frantic pace, both far too aroused to last for long. She remembered panting instructions at him, _harder, faster_ and moaning his name again and again until it turned into nothing but a stream of meaningless syllables, and hearing that need recited back to her with every sound he made.

Then she was there, cresting as he kissed her forehead again and again. Peeta joined her a moment later, and then there were only panting breaths and sweaty skin to separate them from one another. "Are you all right?" he managed after a long moment.

"Mm-hmm." She kissed his cheek, not wanting to return to the real world quite yet.

He started to say something else, but she stopped him with a kiss. "We can talk tomorrow, okay?"

Peeta nodded and tightened his arms around her. She nuzzled into his chest and listened as his heart rate slowly returned to normal.

* * *

 

He woke up a few seconds before his alarm went off, just as he usually did. Peeta turned it off before it could disturb Katniss and sat up in bed for a minute or two before his day had to begin in earnest. Most days, he spent this time mentally mapped out his plans for the day, but today, he admired the woman next to him. Katniss had not bothered to dress after last night, and in the dim light of his bedroom, she almost glowed. He tucked a piece of her dark hair back behind her ear before forcing himself to get up. He wouldn't want her to wake up to find him staring at her and assume he was some kind of creep. She shifted when he moved, and he wondered for a moment if she would wake up, but then she settled back down, never even opening her eyes.

He hadn't realized he was holding his breath. Peeta hurried into the bathroom before he managed to embarrass himself. Under the steady flow of warm water, he played through possible conversations with Katniss, silently rehearsing each one until he had found something that he hoped would be acceptable to both interested parties.

Peeta toweled himself dry and finished up the rest of his hygiene routine. By the time he finished getting dressed, it was 3:25 AM. Still way too early for civilized humans, but someone had to have the bakery open by the time the morning crowd started showing up around 5:15.

"Katniss," he whispered. She didn't move an inch. "Katniss," he repeated, this time a little louder, and when she still didn't stir, he reached out and gave her a gentle nudge.

She mumbled something about it being too early, and while he had to agree on that point, he couldn't leave without saying goodbye. "I have to head to work, but I would really love to see you again sometime." Blurry eyes stared at him uncomprehendingly. He chuckled. "I'll leave you a note. Have a nice day, Katniss." He kissed her on the forehead, and by the time he pulled away, she was already asleep again. Peeta wrote out a quick note for her, and then it was time to leave.

* * *

How many years had it been since she woke up alone in a near-stranger's bed? All right, not that many, but this time, she didn't even have alcohol to blame for it, just her own seriously-lacking judgment. If she was going to go home with someone, she should have at least picked someone who would say goodbye and buy her breakfast. Oh well, she could mourn her poor taste in men some other time. Right now, she needed to figure out a way home.

Katniss stretched out, glad she didn't have to be at work this morning, and something crinkled under her hand. She grabbed the piece of paper.

_Katniss –_

_We talked this morning, but I wasn't sure if you'd remember any of it. I'm sorry I had to leave, but I had to be at work by four. I would really love to see you again. My phone number is 505-1212. Give me a call sometime?_

_-Peeta_

_PS – I have a roommate, but he works nights and shouldn't be up until after you leave. Please help yourself to the pastry in the fridge. I'd recommend the blackberry ones._

She smiled and neatly folded the note into quarters, slipping it into her pocket as she pulled on her jeans. She'd definitely have to take him up on at least one of those offers.

* * *

No matter how many times she told herself it was perfectly normal to have urges, and equally as normal to have them get the best of her once in a while, Katniss couldn't convince herself. With anyone else, it would have been fine, but Peeta had been her student. True, it had been ten years since he had been in her class, so the power imbalance that would have made that relationship both morally wrong and very illegal was gone. Still, even if neither of them cared, other people would. And other people, the world had shown her time and time again, could be very, very cruel.

The thing was, she didn't really feel guilty. It just felt like she ought to. And by mid-afternoon, she had driven herself half-nuts thinking about a boy. That, she could safely say, hadn't happened since high school.

There was only one thing to do in such circumstances: take a page out of _Who Wants to be a Millionaire?_ 's playbook and phone a friend. It took three rings for Annie to pick up. "Katniss! How are you?" Ever since she'd figured out caller ID, Annie hadn't bothered with saying hello.

"I'm doing all right. How about you?"

"I'm – Finnick, could you take Dylan, please? I'm on the phone with Katniss."

"Hey, Katniss," a masculine voice said from the other end.

"Hey, Finnick."

"All right, I'm back. Sorry, I didn't want to talk about how I'm still kind of hungover while I was holding one of the limpets."

"You and Ronan could commiserate."

Annie snorted at the mention of her eldest. "Oh trust me, his father would have his hide for that. So, tell me about last night. How was it? Are you seeing him again?" When she didn't reply fast enough for her friend, Annie prompted her again. "Well, what's going on? Tell me. We both know this is the whole reason you called."

"I'm not sure."

"Katniss, I am sure you can tell whether or not it was good sex. Or at least I hope you can. I'd be a little worried about you otherwise."

She rolled her eyes. "Okay, it was. I'm just not sure about anything else."

"Oh?"

"He gave me his number and said he wants to see me again."

"Katniss, that's great!" She heard a noise on the other end. "Oops, yeah, everything's fine, Finnick, don't worry about me." There was a short pause. "Wait, so what are you not sure about? From what I saw, he seemed super nice."

Was Annie really that blind? "Should I make a list? Let's see… Peeta's ten years younger than me, if not a little more. He was my student. He doesn't have a permanent job yet –"

"So? None of that changes any of what I said."

She raised her voice to talk over her friend. "He has a roommate, and last night was definitely supposed to be a one-time-only thing."

"Are you done?" Annie sounded just a little bit amused, and Katniss kind of hated her for it.

"I'm sure I could think of more if you give me a minute, both those are the main ones."

"Y'know, the last guy I slept with was definitely supposed to be one-night stand, and he had a roommate too."

"You and Finnick got married practically the minute you got out of college. This is really not the same thing."

"Isn't it?" She sounded genuinely confused.

"No, it really isn't."

"Katniss, the fact that you're calling me about this at all tells me you're not as sure about this as you want me to think. It doesn't really matter to me what you do. It will barely impact my life at all." Oh good, she was actually being reasonable for once. "But…" Katniss had a bad feeling about where this conversation was headed. "If you're worrying so much about this, why not give him a call? You're obviously trying to talk yourself out of it, and I'm not sure why."

"Because –"

"No, you can figure this out for yourself. I'm not going to let you try to convince me and then act like I agree with you. Talk to you later, Katniss."

She winced. "Bye."

* * *

By signing her name on the dotted line, Katniss became the proud owner of a 2016 Toyota Camry. All four of its doors opened, none of the mirrors were cracked, and there wasn't an inch of duct tape to be seen anywhere on it. It even had a little thing to plug her iPod into. Apple hadn't even invented the iPod yet when Ponty had been made. Come to think of it, she wasn't entirely sure she'd known about CDs when Ponty was born.

Though the new car was absolutely palatial, she had to admit she missed Ponty's charm. This model didn't come in green, which was a shame, because she certainly wasn't going to pay however many hundreds of dollars for a custom color, but more importantly, it didn't have any personality. Its leather interior was nice, but it wasn't any nicer than any of the other half million - or whatever outrageous number the dealer had told her - Camrys Toyota would sell this year. It didn't even deserve a name yet. No car without a few dings and scratches had really earned a name.

The idea came to her while she sat at a stoplight on her way home from the dealership. Maybe it wasn't the best reason to see a guy, but it definitely wasn't the worst she had ever come up with. She knew this light was a long one, so she didn't feel guilty at all as she grabbed her phone and typed up a quick message to Peeta.

Ponty had deserved one last hurrah. Surely she could give her as-of-yet-unnamed Camry a proper christening?

**Author's Note:**

> Originally posted on FFN in May of 2016.


End file.
